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Effect of Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oils on Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin Production on Asparagus racemosus

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Abstract

Essential oils extracted from Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus were tested in vitro against the toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus, isolated from the tuberous roots of Asparagus racemosus, used in preparation of herbal drugs. The essential oils completely inhibited the growth of A. flavus at 750 ppm and also exhibited a broad fungitoxic spectrum against nine additional fungi isolated from the roots. Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils completely inhibited aflatoxin B1 production at 750 and 500 ppm, respectively. During in vivo investigation, the incidence of fungi and aflatoxin B1 production decreased considerably in essential oil-treated root samples. The findings thus indicate possible exploitation of the essential oils as effective inhibitor of aflatoxin B1 production and as post-harvest fungitoxicant of traditionally used plant origin for the control of storage fungi. These essential oils may be recommended as plant-based antifungals as well as aflatoxin B1 suppressors in post-harvest processing of herbal samples.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India for financial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Priyanka Singh, Ravindra Shukla, Ashok Kumar, Bhanu Prakash & Nawal Kishore Dubey

  2. Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Deemed University, Allahabad, 211007, India

    Shubhra Singh

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  1. Priyanka Singh
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  2. Ravindra Shukla
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  3. Ashok Kumar
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  4. Bhanu Prakash
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  5. Shubhra Singh
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  6. Nawal Kishore Dubey
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Correspondence to Nawal Kishore Dubey.

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Singh, P., Shukla, R., Kumar, A. et al. Effect of Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oils on Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin Production on Asparagus racemosus . Mycopathologia 170, 195–202 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-010-9311-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-010-9311-8

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